Large, vicious and very beautiful - a description perfect for a Caucasian shepherd. Those who have come across it will not let you lie. The breed of dog Caucasian, or Caucasian Shepherd, is admirable. You can admire her endlessly.
Imagine a picture: a vast field, a blue sky above your head, a dog running along the green grass. In the sun, her fur seems golden. The dog wags its tail and smiles at all its jaws.
Just do not flatter yourself, thinking that a Caucasian is a kind of teddy bear. Everything is completely wrong. Read about the main characteristics of the breed in this material.
Origin history
There are two versions of the origin of the breed of Caucasians. One of them is more like a myth.
Allegedly in 1121, the Tibetan mastiff was presented to the Chinese emperor. The emperor fell in love with this breed and wished to know about it outside of China. So the dog of Tibet spread to Greece, Rome, Mongolia and modern Dagestan.
And then he mated with local dogs. The result was a fierce monster. The dog defended its territories perfectly, but was extremely vicious.
Dagestanis thought and decided: they need a guard dog. Only such that its own owners did not eat. A mixture of Tibetan Great Dane and native dogs was tied again. This time, a less evil creature turned out. What kind of dogs participated in the mating is not known today. Only data on Tibetan Great Dane have come down to us.
If you believe this version, the breed of Caucasians (pictured), or the Caucasian Shepherd, is not. She is rather Dagestan.
The second hypothesis is more realistic. A few thousand years ago, nomadic shepherds from Asia wandered into the Caucasus. In addition to sheep flocks, there were large and vicious dogs with them. These dogs were fierce in nature.
In the mountains, they had to adapt to the local climate. Shepherds are not too ceremonial with animals. They needed dogs that could give a tough fight back to a predator if necessary. As well as unpretentious to the terrain and food. Weak dogs ruthlessly rejected. Selection work as such was not then. But shepherds were smart people. They selected the individuals most suited to their requirements.
The consequence of this selection were dogs that have survived to this day. Huge, ferocious, with a thick and dense coat. Such a pet can be entrusted not only with sheep protection. They will save property, and the life of the owner.
Breed standard
What does a Caucasian dog look like? According to the breed standard, the animal is given the following description:
- Big dog. Weight reaches 90 kilograms, height at the withers - 70 centimeters. Well developed muscles. Distinctive features of the breed are maliciousness, alertness to strangers, indiscriminate food, easy adaptability to harsh conditions.
- The head is big, "bearish". The forehead is wide, the muzzle is wide.
- The eyes are almond-shaped. Dark brown color, proportionately arranged. The look is evil.
- The nose is black.
- Lips are dry, firm. The jaws are very powerful, well developed.
- The case is strong, elongated.
- The chest is deep.
- Croup is short and wide.
- The limbs are strong, well developed, parallel to each other.
- The tail is long, most often folded into a ring.
- The coat may be long or short. Very thick and dense undercoat.
- The color is predominantly gray. Allowed the color of dark yellow, red, black and tan, white.
This is how the breed of Caucasians, or Caucasian Shepherds, looks in accordance with the approved standard.
Character
With the exterior sorted out. What is an animal?
- Aggressiveness is the main characteristic of the Caucasians breed. The dog was bred as a watchman. And the development of malice was cultivated in young dogs. Assistant in this matter were dog fights. No matter how cruel it may sound, but shepherds in such a simple way selected the best of the best.
- Alertness to strangers. Try stroking a Caucasian shepherd dog that is unfamiliar with you. This is a joke - do not try under any pretext. Remain without a hand, perhaps. The breed of Caucasians has a "cute" feature. If they decide that an outsider is a danger, they can attack without warning.
- Denial of self-abuse. Among the owners of Caucasians a couple of decades ago, it was believed that the dog should "knock the dope." The owners thought: in order to pacify the breed of Caucasians and show who is in charge of the house, its representative should be beaten half to death. Then go out, and only after that the dog will understand who its owner is. In fact, this is cruel and completely pointless. The Caucasian Shepherd Dog will not tolerate violence. He will become even more embittered, and even give a rebuff.
- Stubbornness. Representatives of the breed are leaders by nature. And the owner will have to try hard to win the dog’s location. The dog understands that it is stronger than a person. So he begins to provoke his owner in every possible way, probing his weak spots.
- Boundless devotion. Surprisingly, the Caucasian Shepherd is one of the most faithful breeds. It is worth winning her trust, and she will be ready for the sake of the owner for everything.
- Learning ability. Because of the stubbornness of the breed, it seems that dogs are not subject to training. This is a misconception - the Caucasian Shepherd Dogs are well trained. You only need to know that they are first taught obedience. The animal should be perfectly obeyed, only after this they proceed to training in defense.
House or apartment?
The breed of Caucasians, or Caucasian Shepherd Dogs is one of the most unpretentious. They were bred specifically to provide the necessary minimum. Representatives of the breed adapted to the rest. The only mandatory requirement is a dog staying in a private house. She needs a spacious aviary and the ability to be in the fresh air. Caucasian shepherds are not suitable for an apartment.
The question is brewing: and if the owner has the opportunity to walk with his pet for a long time and a lot - still he can not be kept in a city apartment?
As already mentioned, the dog is aggressive. Outsiders are enemies to her. For its territory, the animal is ready to fight to the last breath. When going out with a dog, the owner should keep in mind that the place for walking automatically becomes the territory of a Caucasian breed dog (photo in the article). With proper imagination, it’s easy to imagine a picture: you are walking with your dog, she is on a leash, she is sniffing something intensely. A man goes by. The dog reacts with lightning speed, rushing at him. Do you manage to react? Hardly, as well as hold a 90-kilogram carcass.
In addition, in a small apartment, the representative of the breed will be uncomfortable. You know, there is the expression "walls crush." When walls are pressed against a person, he becomes hysterical, irritable. When this happens to the dog, it turns into an unbalanced individual. And as a result, the psyche is disturbed. Psyche Caucasian Shepherd Dog - Killing Machine.
What is needed for content
The breed of Caucasians, the photo of which is in the article, needs room. This is stated above. A spacious enclosure with a booth is an ideal solution. The booth can be covered with hay. Warming it is not worth it, because the Caucasian Shepherd Dogs are adapted to cold weather. In winter, the dog will not freeze.
- Bowls are two pieces. One for food, the second under water. And be sure to monitor their cleanliness.
- Collar and leash. You need to walk with the dog, despite the fact that she lives in the yard. Caucasian shepherd dogs need physical activity. If there is a forest or field nearby where a human foot does not step, then they will come in handy. Choose a leather collar. And it is better to take a leash long, from 2 meters. Preferably durable leather. Just do not take the tarpaulin. It is very uncomfortable, it easily gets wet and rubs the skin on the palms.
- Hairbrush. And a little better. Among them - slicker. From the wool of Caucasians (wolfhounds) excellent warm things are obtained.
Pet care
The pet will not need any special care. We list the main points:
- Regular physical activity. The more the dog moves, the better for his health. You can play outdoor games with your dog, or you can let go of the leash when there are no people nearby and give you the opportunity to run.
- Feeding. Caucasian dogs are fed (photo can be seen in the text) twice a day. More precisely, an adult dog receives food in that order. Puppies are fed more often. Very small - up to six times. And only over time they are transferred to two meals a day. In winter, adult dogs that live outside are fed three times a day.
- Combing. The dog is combed out three to four times a week when there is no molting. If the animal sheds, it requires daily grooming.
- Do I need to wash a large Caucasian dog? Very rarely, and only in the warm season. Firstly, when washing, the protective layer disappears, due to which the animal’s hair is cleaned independently. And secondly, the pet dries for a long time. Sometimes up to two days is necessary to dry his coat. In winter, he will have to live in a house, you can’t let a wet pet go outside.
- Daily examination of the eyes, teeth and ears. The ears of Caucasian shepherds are usually cropped. They rarely get very dirty. Dirt is removed with a cotton swab or cotton swab lubricated with baby cream. You can use a special lotion to clean your ears as a moisturizing stick. Eyes are also wiped with a cotton pad. The procedure is carried out only if visible contamination has appeared. For the cleaning of teeth, special bones are given as prophylaxis. Or use dog toothpaste.
- Claws. If they do not grind on their own, then they must be cut. Once every three weeks is enough. How to prune? A veterinarian will help here, and he will carry out the procedure.
- Annual vaccinations. You can’t forget about the vaccine complex. Especially when the pet lives on the street. Rabies nowadays has intensified like never before. And nobody canceled the carnivore plague.
How to feed a dog
The nature of the Caucasian dog and the conditions of its maintenance were sorted out. We touch on the issue of feeding. He is one of the key.
If you turn to professional breeders of the breed, they recommend two options: dry food or mixed food. While emphasizing that the second scheme is never used. And for some reason they are silent about the possibility of feeding with natural food.
Consider all three options:
- Dry food. It is clear that cheap dog food is not suitable. And the point is not in price, but in its quality. Nothing good can be found in the composition of economy-class feeds. Some flavor enhancers, colorants and corn gluten. The dog at such a feed will not last long. At least ruin the stomach. Therefore, if the choice fell on the "drying", then you should pay attention to the brand of super-premium and holistic classes.
- Mixed food. Half is dry food, and the remaining half is divided into meat, fish, cereals and vegetables. A very strange combination, given the inability of the dog’s stomach to cope with food and natural food at the same time.
- Natural nutrition. We make a reservation right away: for the price it will cost as much as a good feed. If you feed the dog correctly, then the basis of its diet should be beef. In second place is turkey or rabbit meat. You should be careful with chicken, because it is an allergen product. Meat needs a side dish. In our case - fig. Or vegetables containing a minimal amount of starch. And the dog will not refuse sour-milk products, boiled eggs and fruits.
Where to buy a dog
The article posted a photo of a puppy breed Caucasian, or Caucasian Shepherd. Kids are sold in specialized nurseries. But in order to save money, many people buy the breed from their hands. But where are the guarantees that they will not slip the "dog in the bag"? The probability of receiving not purebred litter is high. For decent money they can sell a dog - a mixture of Caucasian with anyone, or, as is now customary to say, the phenotype of the breed.
Therefore, it is strongly recommended to buy a dog in the kennel. Fortunately, in Russia there are a lot of them, choose - I do not want.
How much will the baby cost? From 40,000 to 60,000 thousand rubles. It all depends on the pedigree of the puppy. The cleaner it is, the more expensive the dog, respectively.
What name to choose
What to name a Caucasian dog? Usually breeders give the puppies names themselves. But the owner may not always like the name of the pet. Let’s say the option is when there is one nickname in the pedigree and the dog’s name is different.
The most interesting names for males: Ares, Aron, Ayran, Ajax, Brutus, Bring, Borey, Belor, Virgil, Varik, Vunir, Hector, Golf, Gringo, Dinar, Doris, Evgen, Enix, Zhamir, Zhorfey, Zenon, Zern, Icarus, Ilis, Chris, Connor, Celt, Norway, Nobel, Maurice, Minor, Orpheus, Oryx, Onyx, Pars, Prudence, Saint, Satyr, Sonia, Trump, Toris, Tashir, Ulnar, Fern, Caesar, Tsushim, Chors, Aers, Eron, Yudwig, Eugene, Juran, Yars, Yavel.
Names for bitches: Ira, Aina, Berry, Barbie, Valkria, Woogie, Grinny, Hebe, Dora, Donna, Dorea, Eve, Enora, Erona, Jazeera, Xena, Zolly, Zana, Irma, Ilta, Issa, Kerry, Kelly, Kara, Karima, Lucia, Lucia, Luta, Peace, Mora, Maxi, Nangira, Naga, Norvi, Olsa, Olda, Orina, Petty, Purdy, Party, Perry, Puma, Saya, Seta, Sera, Sinaia, Trima, Torri, Teffi, Ulm, Urza, Firma, Firona, Fanya, Chloe, Hippy, Swell, Tsana, Cera, Chara, Chinzana, Erona, Elsa, Era, Yusta, Yutta, Yurika, Yann, Yara, Yasna, Yasta, Yask.
When to buy a puppy
Although the breed of Caucasians, or Caucasian Shepherds, is unpretentious, it is better to purchase a puppy in winter. Gradually accustom him to walks, preparing for an aviary. Of course, a two-month-old baby cannot be put in an aviary. It is better to do this after reaching six months of age. The best option is from nine months to a year.
Before sending the dog to the aviary, they receive the necessary vaccinations. The breeder spends the very first while the puppy is very small. The second one is he or the owner, if he buys a puppy before he turns 56 days old.
Relation to other animals
Quite a burning question. The breed of Caucasians is famous for its cruelty. If the dog lives in the yard, then he should not meet with other pets. We strongly recommend not introducing the guard dog to cats. This breed does not like them. Given the steel jaws of a Caucasian, it is easy to imagine what remains of a cat that he met on his way.
With yard cattle gets along. The Caucasian Shepherd is not only a watchman. This is also an excellent shepherd. It will not cause damage to animals, but it does not feel much joy when meeting with them.
In general, everything can be changed. If the puppy lives in the same house with the cat, he gets used to it. And he will no longer offend him when he becomes an adult dog living in an aviary. Only this does not apply to cats with which the pet can meet on the street.
Conclusion
How long does a Caucasian dog live? Life expectancy of this breed is small. From 8 to 12 years. On average - 10 years. The larger the dog, the less it lives.
Although Caucasian shepherds are not prone to disease, in old age they can suffer from hip dysplasia. Become deaf and blind. Almost all representatives of the breed at a venerable age, their legs fail.